A Serbian Film (2010) Dir: Srdjan Spasojevic

I think most people familiar with me, either through website, blog or real life, would safely assume that I am not easily rattled by controversial works of art, be it visual or aural. I can sit through the most stomach-churning gore the horror meisters have to offer with nerry a flinch, can listen to NSBM bands banging out their anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic nonsense without so much as a pause, can cast a curious eye over Marcus Harvey's remarkable piece, Myra, untainted by the vitriolic opinions of the naysayers.
So it was, with a confidence borne of experience, that I settled in for A Serbian Film, described variously as 'odious pornography' 'tragic, sickening, disturbing' and pure shock/novelty/boundary-pushing.'
Yeah, yeah, thought I.
Heard it all before.
Wasn't The Human Centipede meant to be so disgusting as to be barely watchable?
Well, watched that, found it be a surprisingly campy slice of nastiness.
What about Cronenberg's Crash from a few years back? Sickening, apparently. I rather liked it!
So the credits rolled and, as clichéd as it may sound, nothing could have prepared me for what was to follow.
The plot: Milos, a faded porn star, is reluctantly hired by a reclusive, yet highly regarded porn director. Not really sure what he is being hired for, but eager for the money, Milos is driven to the location for his scenes and is disturbed by the imagery being used: un-simulated violence, suggestions of rape, children in scenes.
Understandably Milos wants out, and attempts to flee, but is drugged and awakens covered in blood.
The director reveals that he has been 'unaware' for three days, during which time footage has been shot of Milos engaging in all manner of deviant acts; beating a woman to death as he is penetrating her; being anally raped, all carried out in a drug-infused rage.
In a miasma of confusion and revulsion, Milos pieces together the clues, filling in the missing days, leading to a finale so mind-bendingly shocking it genuinely left me reeling.
As powerful as cinema gets, this is profoundly disturbing and affecting.
Though the subject matter is repugnant, and some of the material put on screen veering into the obscene - a newborn baby being raped, a father raping his own young son, a mid-coital decapitation - this is nevertheless an important movie and, as promised, is truly boundary pushing.
Fans of extreme cinema only need apply, believe me, but those with the stomach will have to wait a long time for a movie as challenging as this.
Wow.

5 out of 5

[Rec] 2 (2010) Dir: Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza

Rip roaring sequel to the Spanish exercise in intensity that was [Rec]. Starting immediately after the events of the first movie, here we follow two groups of people, one for the first half of the movie, the other for most of the second, before their lives are inextricably drawn together in a shower of blood and viscera.
Group 1: A small troop of soldiers, armed to the teeth, sent in to find out what happened to the first group sent in during the first film, led by a man who claims to be from the Health Authority, but may not be all that he seems.
Group 2: Three youngsters with a camcorder who, being exuberant, inquisitive sorts, follow a fireman into the infected building by an alternate route, before promptly being sealed in by the police.
Just what is happening to the infected people, and where did the infection come from?
And what use will crucifixes be against the raving dead?
As a direct continuation, this is a real winner - I've always had a soft spot for horror sequels that pick up the action in the immediate aftermath of what went before.
The camera work is exceptional, with magnificent use made of POV shots so that, at times, as the soldiers lead gun first, you really feel as if you are right in there, like all of the best First Person Shooter games.
Whilst I've read complaint that the build up is not as effective as the original, as almost immediately we are plunged in, fear factor set to ten, I think that's missing the point. This is an exercise in endurance, testing the viewers boundaries, seeing how much screaming and feral munching of teeth we can tolerate before fleeing the cinema in actual physical pain.
With a great twist thrown in that I won't even allude to here, as the origins of the infection are drawn out, this is a killer horror movie that only the bravest souls should attempt.
Can't recommend it enough.

5 out of 5